


Don't look under the bed

by PotentiallyHarmful



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-05
Updated: 2013-06-09
Packaged: 2017-12-14 01:17:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/831023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PotentiallyHarmful/pseuds/PotentiallyHarmful
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been 20 years since Pitch was defeated.... but it looks like he isn't quiet finished yet.....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was reading some other ROTG fanfics and My feels exploded, so I'm deciding to write a short story about things. <3 hope you like~ If you see any spelling errors, just write it down and I'll fix it. It is 4:33 AM for me right now. *dies*

From the darkness Pitch would watch Jack and the other guardians. No one could see him now... The children didn't believe in such a faerie tale anymore; The boogyman.... Many many years ago a children's movie called "Don't look under the bed" came out and it was such a wonderful time for him..... for the span of the movie that is. He'd watched it many times with the children. Feeling the scorn the "imaginary friend" felt... The older sister Fran telling him that the boogy man was not there..... but the children watching the movie knew. They knew he was there because they'd seen him.

Sometimes if the child was still scared he'd go to the roof and make the same footsteps above their room. The frightened screams were more than he could take and he laughed, soaking in the darkness and hopelessness the child felt. Oh it was so so wonderful. The parents would barge into the room and sit on the side of the bed "what's wrong sweetie?" "The boogyman is on the roof!" Yeeeees what a sweet sound it was.

"No sweety that's santa clause! He must have gotten lost!"

The slow.... disgusting hatred grew and swelled inside of Pitch.... North.... He had once again been replaced in the mind of yet another child.

And so scary shows would come and go, and so would he.... but once he was gone from one child, he was gone from them forever and he'd have no choice but to slink away in his nightmare sand to find another child full of fear from nightmares he was able to scratch up.

Everyone had nightmares of course. Everyone felt fear! Fear of being caught, fear of failing a test, fear of insects and even fear of other people. But these small bits of fear was only enough to keep him in existence. These fears... were of other things. They were not scared... of HIM.

It's been twenty years now since they defeated him and made him fall at the hands... er.... hooves of his own fear and nightmares.... But he would not be just a bad dream forever... No he was going to make a REAL comeback this time.... Last time was..... merely a test, yes, to see what the lines were. He knows the lines now. And crossing them sounds like the best idea in all of history.

-

"Oi Jack get your skinny cold arse down here we have to talk!" Bunnymund called from below the playful spirit. Jack stood on a frozen telephone wire and he looked down at the rabbit tapping, or rather thumping his large foot on the ground.

"Hey now language what if a kid hears huh? Aren't you supposed to be a cute fluffy Easter bunny full of happy and pastels?" He was only joking and Bunnymund had gotten used to this language from him after 20 years.

"Yeah yeah just get down here." With a shrug Jack jumps down, using a good cold winters breeze to lighten his fall. A passerby shivers and sneezes, making Jack snicker a little, feeling a tiny tingle of life within himself.

"So what's up? You don't usually show up this time of year, it's January. Little early right?" Jack swings his staff around lazily and then grabs it with both hands and leans on it.

Bunny crouches down in a natural position and he folds his arms.

"Well yeah but... Look I don't like this one bit but I sorta need your... hmmm... not advice... not assistance or help no way....... Your opinion I guess?" Jack raises a dark eyebrow at the bunny and stands up straight.

"Uh yeah sure. This is pretty unusual I'm excited. My opinion! I never thought I'd continue to exist to see the day!"

"Oh shut it and listen up."

"It might be hard, my ears got nothin' on yours."

"Jack. Be serious." The tone of Easters spirit caught Jack slightly off guard. So the white haired boy crouches in front of bunny and looks up at him, still holding his staff upright.

"Alright man I'm serious. Let's go, what's bugging you?"

"In the Warren.... I mean you don't have... a set world like me and the others do. I guess this whole world is your world right? Well our worlds are supposed to be .... OURS. Secluded and it's just us and our stuff we prepare the holidays with. But lately I've been....... well... Hmmm. Well Jack how have you been feeling lately in your world here?" Jack listens hard and stares at the expressions Bunny makes and finds it almost a little concerning...

"Uh..." He scratches his pale temple with thought.

"Normal I guess. I haven't felt anything off around here lately. At least not in the places I've been in. So you're sayin' that you're feeling weird in your own warren?"

"Yeah and that ain't EVER supposed to happen. It's my darn warren and I feel like there's an.... intruder. And it riles me up and makes me angry Jack."

"Wow uhm..... I've.... never seen you so serious. Kinda. Maybe we should go check your place out together and see what's up?"

"I guess... It could just be me, but it could also be somethin' else and I ain't takin' no risks."

"Sure man let's go." He stands up and swings his staff upside down. Bunny stands up and goes to say something--

"Ah wait man, look at this! Perfect opportunity!" Jack cackles quietly and runs over to some kids. Bunny rolls his eyes and grumbles, but waits for him and watches.

"Hmmm riiight here!" Jack jumps in the snow and flails his arms and legs up and down side to side, then jumps right back up again. A kid happens to walk by.

"Oh look!! A snow angel! Cool!" A couple other kids run over and marvel at it. Jack sneaks behind them and balls up some snow and takes aim. He throws it at one kid..... who ducks. The snowball goes flying over his head and hits another kid in the shoulder.

"HEY! Who threw that?" They look over at the other kids standing there and balls up his own snowball and throws it at them! 

"Snowball fight!!!" All the kids start grabbing up snow and throwing it at each other. JAck laughs a little and then floats back to bunnymund.

"Ah sorry man, I had to. You know how it is."

"Ai I sure do, you selfish little brat."

"Hey now calm down and lets go already slow poke." He smiles nearly making it a grin and bunny only playfully punches him in the shoulder, tapping his foot twice into the ground letting a big hole open up. The two of them jump or fly down and all the way though the thick musty smell of nature. After a few minutes of traveling they get to the main part of the warren. 

"Phew. You sure keep this place smellin and lookin' good Bunny. Beautiful as ever."

"Darn right." Equal to a "thank you" from Bunnymund. It really means a lot to him that his warren is respected and loved. At least by SOME people apparently.....

"Now follow me and just feel around. And bloddy hell take it seriously."

"Of course I'll take it seriously." Jack looks at his much taller friend with sincerity.

"This is your home man. This is your life. I'm not gonna goof around if you're really freaked out if something is wrong." Bunnymund isn't really used to seeing Jack so serious about... well anything really, and he's truly flattered that he IS being so serious. For him. And his home. His inner easter bunny almost wants to hug the little brat. But he contains himself and just nods.

"Thanks." Wow. A real Thank you. Progress. Bunny leads him around and points things out and Jack nods and takes closer looks at things. After many hours of looking they end up at the main area where the roads separate for the eggs to run free to the above world. They sit down and take a breather.

"Well Bunny I didn't feel anything outta sorts here. Did you?"

"Oddly enough no. It just feels like a normal day here."

"Maybe you're just getting antsy! That's gotta be it, you're excited and you wanna get goin'. Don't stress out man, I'll even keep the weather chill for easter."

"Chill?" A sideways glance.

"Oh my gosh, no, I mean--"

"I know I know." Bun chuckles and nods a little.

"Thanks. Oi why're you bein' so dang nice to me? It's weird."

"Huh? I dunno. I guess I just feel really good. New years passed and everyone had a lot of fun. Guess I'm just full of it you know? Besides I feel like we really cleared up the past and stuff. I dunno about you but I guess I was just ready to move on. We beat Pitch and set the whole world back to normal. Kids getting money for their teeth, getting presents at christmas and totally freaking out at the sweet loot they got, getting super awesome dreams from Sandy and getting some awesome eggs from you, you know? Aaand not to toot my own horn, but I've been learning how to have fun in the summer too you know."

"That so?"

"Yeah! Jamie...." Jack smiles as he looks at his bare feet, and Bunny smiles a little.

"Yeah that kid. He's all grown up now."

"A teacher now! It's great. Sometimes we talk in class and he tells the kids what I'm saying. Some of them can even see me now. I still gotta tell them to keep it down though. Because you know parents would freak out if they started hearing their kids pointing to air. 'It's jack frost from class mom!'" Jack laughs and lays down on his back, crossing one leg over the other and putting his hands behind his head.

"Wow. I'm prouda you kid. You weren't really.....a THING before. And then you helped save the whole darn world and now kids everywhere are believin' in you and seein' you."

"You're PROUD of me? I'm so flattered right now it burns a little."

"Good, I hope it burns a hole in your stupid pockets." They have a little laugh and then Jack stands up.

"Well man It looks like it's all good around here and you just need to keep your animalistic excitement contained. Just a few more months and you can spread a trillion eggs for kids to find. And you can bet I'll be there to soak up the fun."

"Literally?"

"Duh." Jack smiles wide and puts one hand in his blue hoody pocket while the other holds his staff over the back of his shoulders.

"Thanks for comin' by and helpin' me."

"I wasn't helping. I was giving my opinion remember?" Another playful arm punch and Jack poofs into a ploom of snowflakes.

Bunnymund nods. Jack was probably right. He was just eager to get started. So he hops off to start making more different colored eggs.

 

From the darkness Pitch feeds off of the tiny bits of worry and fear he can get from the stupid rabbit. He grins with his crooked sharp teeth and fades away...


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> weird feelings

Jack gets back to Earth above ground and stretches his arms out a little.

"Phew. I'm tired... Better have a lie down." He sits down on a park bench and looks around... suddenly feeling a little strange himself. But be just shrugs it off and closes his eyes and leans back on his arms.

"Jack hey!" A familiar voice. Jack looks down again. Jamie is smiling up at him and waving.

"Jamie!" Jacks tired body instantly jolts with energy and he flies down to Jamie, hugging him and swinging around him.

"How's it goin' Jamie??"

"Great! You weren't in class today and the kids were disappointed though."

"Say what?? Dang I'm sorry. Bunny needed my help for something and we looked all day for whatever it was."

"Oh?" Jamie raised and eyebrow and put his hand on his hip. Not with disbelief, but with curiosity. 

"Well He said he felt strange in the warren which is unusual. But we didn't find anything and we chocked it up to him just being antsy for Easter."

"Oh. Well maybe! But you gotta apologize to the kids tomorrow!" Jamie wags his finger at Jack at little who just laughs and pushes his hand away.

"Yeah yeah I got it. On your way home then?"

"Yup. What about you? Gonna go around throwing more snowballs at random passersby?"

"Who do you think I am?" He smirks a little and Jamie rolls his eyes with a smile.

"Hmmmm Santa."

"You are so toast!" Jack magically gets a snowball and throws it right at Jamie's face who laughs and picks up a snow ball of his own and throws it, hitting Jack in the back of his snowy white hair.

"I'm not toast or I'd be warm! So I'm gonna go get TOASTY."

"Sure thing man. See you tomorrow!"

"Thanks Jack." Jamie smiles and waves, walking off.

-

The next day Jack gets to Jamie's house and draws on the glass of his room window and writes "get up lazy bones :)" The alarm clock goes off and Jamie slaps it with his hand and sits up.

"Mornin' Jamie!" Jack knocks. Jamie looks back and smiles tiredly, waving. He gets up tiredly and slides open the window.

"Morning Jack."

"You sleep good?"

"Yeah. I think Sandy came by. I had some pretty cool dreams."

"Probably. Hurry up and get dressed or I'll snow you in."

"Oh my gosh Okay I'm coming!" Jack laughs and flies up to the roof and looks a few houses down. Sophie lives down there, Jamie's little sister. She was in her final year of college, writing kids books and drawing and painting. She paints bunnymund the most though. Every year each Guardian visits her, regardless of lost teeth or what holiday it is. They want to make sure she'll never ever forget them, even though she always insists that she would never forget something so beautiful and close to her heart. And it always fills the guardians with love and warmth to know one of the rare adults still believes in them.

"Let's go Jack!" Jamie runs out of the house after locking it with his back pack full of work things and his lunch, and jumps in his red car. Jack flies over and blows some frost on the back window and writes "Go!" so Jamie can read it. He drives off and Jack follows, throwing snowballs in random directions, creating playful fights. Snowmen roll themselves up and wait to be accessorized. It'll be a while for a few of them to wake up, Jack's noticed over the years. Some kids get up really early to play in his snow and in the random fun he created for them. And some kids sleep in until the last second and then have to bolt to school. But at the end of the day he sets up nice things for them and even manages to get some of their parents in to the spirit of fun, nipping their nose with his finger, the energy blooming in their eyes.

After a while they both get to the school and Jack phases in through the wall and sits on Jamie's desk. It takes a few minutes for Jamie to catch up.

"Hey, get your dirty feet off my desk Jack!"

"HUH? You're joking! They aren't--" Jack looks down at his feet and they... are pretty dirty.

"Oh fine." With an eye roll he puts his foot down and hangs it on the edge, holding his staff over his right shoulder. Jamie prepares, writing papers and scrawling things on the white board.

It was pretty strange to have an adult believe in him and see him still. He remembers the day he and Jamie had to go their own ways. Everyone was satisfied with the outcome... and even though they were apart they knew they were friends forever...

Jack returned a year later and Jamie had been waiting for him every day since the snow started to fall. When Jack finally stepped in front of Jamie the boy almost cried, so glad he wasn't dreaming it all up. The biggest warmest hug Jack could muster up, he gave to Jamie and held him so close. Jamie promised he'd always always believe in Jack no matter what.

"Jack?... Jaaack?"

"Huh?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Oh uh... I dunno. I've watched you and your sister grow up you know? And you both still believe in me. And the others. It's just really nice and... It's just such a nice change you know? Adults don't believe in any of us. They drew up and they found things that would change how they felt about all of us... and they forgot all about us. But not you and Sophie. You aren't too old, but you're still an adult and It's great to see that you can see me, feel me, hear me. It was the only thing I wanted. I wanted that more than fun itself. I guess I'm just really grateful."

"Wow Jack. You're getting all mushy. It's sorta scary. But you know even if someday something happens, there's a ton of kids being born and growing up and hearing stories every day! So even when believers fade away, new believers will come up to take their place."

"You're right. But I like some kids way more than others. Like you! You're my best friend you know?"

"Yeah man." Jamie really really liked being .... praised in a way by his idol. His best friend, the guy he grew up with. And Even after all these years, he's still glad to hear that Jack considers him his best friend.

"Even when--"

"Good morning Mr.Bennett!" A little girl runs into class and throws her things at her desk.

"Morning Alyssa!"

"Morning Jack!!" Alyssa runs and jumps on Jack and hugs him tightly. Even though he's cold as ice, she loves his hugs since they're so genuine and long!

"Hey there kiddo. Ready for a good day?"

"Absolutely!" She smiles and lets him go and sits at her desk. Other kids file in and most give hugs. All the believers come first so they don't hug an invisible person in front of the class who don't believe.

"Jack where were you yesterday?" A boy raises his hand.

"Ah yeah. See The Easte Bunny, Bunnymund needed my help a little and It took aaalllll day! His warren is pretty big when you really get down to it."

"Tell us what it's like again!"

"Jenson you always ask! Don't you pay attention when Jack is talking? >:T" Another little girl looks at him and folds her arms.

"I do too listen! I just like hearing about it!"

"Alright alright calm down guys. Well It's bigger than any cave you'll ever get into! It's really bright and green and there are colorful flowers everywhere. The stone eggs watch the place carefully and when Easter gets close it's really bustling you know? The eggs are scrambling around on their little legs. I don't know how the rabbit does it but he checks every single egg and only THEN are they allowed to leave to this upper world and spread around. Bunny makes sure they're not too hard to find but not to easy. Unlike my stuff, his place is waaaarm. It feels good. And if I could sleep, I'd like to sleep there."

"What about the north pole? Don't you like sleeping in cold?"

"Well I do! But It is nice to take a rest in a warm place now and again. North's place is always really busy the whole year around. I'd never get any actual rest. The yeti's are pretty loud, stomping around and those goofy little elves with the bells on their heads run around all the time, and then of course there's North, talking and laughing and just being... loud in general. Which is good! It's who he is after all."

"Speaking of loud, Jack why doesn't Sandy talk??"

"Oh that's easy. He doesn't wanna wake anyone up! He IS the sand man after all. And he doesn't wanna disturb your sleep. If you aren't sleeping deep enough he won't give you one of his own special dreams."

"what about the dreams where you think you're falling!?"

"Oh no Sandy doesn't give you those. My guess is that the after effects of his sand effects dreams you have at times when you don't normally go to sleep."

"Does he give us nightmares?"

"No, NEVER." Jack floats up above the kids and swings his arms to the side.

"Sandy would never do that! He's the nicest guy I know! Even nicer than Mr. Bennett over here. Sandy only ever gives good dreams to everyone! The guy who gives you nightmares... his name is Pitch. I told you guys about him right?"

"Jack maybe you shouldn't tell them about that until next year when they're a little older?" Jamie raises his head and waits for the rest of the class.

"Aw yeah? I dunno Jamie you were about this age. Eight??"

"I kinda didn't have a choice."

"Eh I guess. I'll tell you kids next year. But I can still tell you other cool stuff!"

"Tomorrow. The other kids are coming." Jack looks at the door and flies over to Jamie and stands on his shoulders. Jamie whispers up at him angrily.

"Dirty feet Jack!" Jack just laughs at the other kids giggle quietly until the non believer kids start walking in. They always wonder why some kids show up so darn early. Whatever. Everyone gets in and sits down and Jack quietly goes over every little believers head and scruffs up their hair and gets to the back windows and waves to Jamie to nods at him with a smile.

"Later everyone!" Jack phases out of the classroom and flies off. Minutes later he sees a baby tooth flying by.

"Oh, someone lost a tooth. Wonder who it is this time." Jack follows the baby tooth all the way to the house of a five year old boy. Baby tooth already made her way in and she quickly slips a coin out of her little shoulder bag and shoves it where the tooth is, grabbing it and replacing it in her back, then flies out. It's all one swift movement. She looks at the tooth. It isn't perfect, but it still looks pretty good! Just a tiny cavity is all. She flies and phases out of the window and runs into Jack's chest.

"!?... !!!!" She flutters her wings happily seeing that it's jack.

"Baby tooth! Hey you! It's been a while huh?" Little baby tooth snuggles to his cheek and neck and hair and back to his cheek, peeping something far to high pitched for a normal person to hear.

"Yeah I think like 2 years? That isn't too long though! How's Tooth doing?" A thumbs up from little tooth.

"Good, I like to hear that. How about you? Your wings hurt from so much flying?" She shakes her head, but she does fold her arms and peep something to him. His face drops a little.

"Is that so? Bunny came to me the other day about that!" Little baby tooth looks up at him with question and Jack just nods to himself.

"I'm gonna go visit Tooth and talk to her and the other little faeries. Maybe I'll see you there.--- Oh you were goin' back anyway? Alright lets go." With a smile he reaches down and puts her in his pocket where he can keep her slightly warmer than outside. Jack learned to make he own little portals to the other guardians worlds. He points his staff forward and a frosty mirror looking thing pops up and he phases right through it. They take up a little bit of magic every time so he doesn't use them a lot. 

They appear in the sky in front of the tall mountain that houses the palace. Only believers can see it, so adult humans usually don't notice it at all. If any adult were to believe still and see it, they wouldn't be able to tell for sure since it's so shrouded in the disgust that is the mountain and it's vines.

"Wow nice day out here huh?? The sun always looks great." He flies happily towards the palace when he sees something below him in the forest on another mountain. It makes him uneasy for some reason.....

"Hey Baby tooth, you go to Tooth, I wanna check something out." She peeps at him.

"I will I will." The little faerie flies from his pocket and watches him soar down to the next mountain. She tilts her head a little.... but shakes it off, having to finish her job and report to Tooth. 

As usual Tooth's Pink and blue eyes are darting every which way along with her, her wings flapping so rapidly they're almost invisible. Tons of faeries fly up to her every second and ask her where they have to go and she tells them in a second and they fly away. Baby tooth flies to the five year old boys tooth keeper and opens it up, putting it inside, then flies to Tooth. She peeps at her, but of course Tooth can hardly stop. so she peeps louder and pokes her in the shoulder, then lands on it and peeps in her ear.

"OOh! Baby tooth what is it? No no dear in Russia! Where North was from! Yeah THAT Moscow!" More small peeps from Baby tooth.

"What?? Jack is here? Where? You can find the teeth girls! Gimmie a second!--- yes yes, Miami Florida! Now what's Jack doing here?" Peeps.

"You feel something amiss?... Why didn't you tell me sweetie?" peep. "What??? I'm never too busy to take care of my faeries needs or worries! Please don't be scared to come talk to me, aww baby." She rubs cheeks with the little faerie and then holds her in her hand.

"So Jack came to see what you felt? What a sweet boy he is. Where did he go?" Baby tooth points outside and Tooth flies out and follows the tiny finger pointing directions.

"Oh over there. Hm. Let's go check on him." Tooth flies down and around and carefully searches from the sky.  
-  
Jack on the other hand lands in a tree and stays quiet as can be........... He hears a branch crack and he jumps after the sound. It happens several more times and he follows each time. But nothing really. It's probably an animal.

"Jack!" Jack's eyes go big and he looks behind himself.

"Oh Tooth. Hey there! Sorry I didn't come in right away. Wanted to see something."

"Jack are you taking care of those pearly whites of yours let me see!" She swoops over and opens his mouth with her fingers like she did ever time she saw him. He was used to it by now. Of course his teeth never changed, but he understood Tooth's obvious obsession with the chompers. She takes her hands out and smiles.

"Perfect as usual! Now Jack Baby Tooth said she felt a little strange lately and you kindly came over to check on us. That is so sweet of you."

"Oh no it's nothing." He smiles and scratches the back of his head a little.

"It's just, Bunny said the same thing and I went to the Warren with him and we looked, but there was nothing. And even when I came back I felt sorta nervous. And now baby tooth feels strange. I'm starting to wonder if something's going on."

"Hmmm. Something going on. That is pretty unusual for Bunnymund to not only ask from help, but from you! And the fact that he was worried like that in the first place is a little odd too."

"I dunno, he is part animal like you, so the instincts must be kicking in. But I'm NOT an animal and I felt a big strange when I got back. So now that I know it's goin' around I wanna check on North and Sandy. Maby MIM could help us out."

"Maybe. Does he talk to you now?"

"Not a lot. Once in a while he'll say something, but nothing too important I guess. It's still nice to hear him after all this time you know?"

"Yes, he is very comforting at his own pace. Well Jack I wish I could come with you to see the others, but you know I've got all these teeth to worry about."

"Oh no, yeah of course! I wouldn't wanna take you from your work because of a feeling you know? I've got this under control. My place is all snowed up so I can be gone for a while."

"Jack. Do you think something is really wrong?"

"Huh? Oh no I wouldn't worry too much about it until we find anything, which we probably won't. Oh yeah and a kid who goes to Jamie's class? His tooth is loose, so be on the look out for him."

"Oh yes! How exciting! Bobby? Or Mitch's tooth? Maybe Jerid's!!"

"Name's Pat! little blair haired kid?"

"Oh yes! I can see him! i'm so excited! It'll be one of his first teeth to fall out!"

"Yeah that kid. I'm gonna go see to our older friends and see if things are okay. I'll see you around sometime okay Tooth?"

"Huh??? Oh yeah sure! Thanks for stopping by, you're really sweet Jack. Don't be shy to stop by okay?"

"You got it." Jack looks at Baby tooth and gives her a little look. "keep an eye out baby tooth" it seems to say. Baby tooth understand instantly and nods, then she and Tooth watch Jack fly off into another mirror portal.

"Hmmm. Baby tooth you never really told me why you felt strange." Some quiet peeps.

"You're SCARED??? Of what sweetie?.... Nothing in particular? Maybe you need to rest. I'll make sure to keep an eye out just for you okay?" Baby tooth lights up and nods. She flies up to Tooth and kisses her on the cheek and flies off. Tooth follows her and start shouting to the other faeries to make sure things are alright.

-

Pitch watches Jack fly off into his goofy little portal thing and then looks back up at Tooths palace. oh he remembers how every single one of those little birds were in his cages. How nice it felt to have children forgetting her and not believing in her. It was amazing~ It makes him sick now to see everyone back in order. But the new fear of being watched by the guardians is feeding him some new strength. So he disappears in the shadows and goes to follow Jack.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SNOW GLOBES

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SNOW GLOBES

Hmmm. Let's give Jack some bread crumbs to follow.~ Pitch thinks to himself with a grin. Before Jack makes it to North, Pitch slinks in down in the deepest workings of the pole, ripping out wires and various other things from some electricity boxes. Why the hell did North need electricity? For the TOYS??? Ridiculous. Then he walks slowly over to the door and opens it as if he belongs here.

"Oh my North you've certainly let this area get dull. Just like you deep down.... Hm?" He looks around this room a little more and it appears to be the first and oldest work shop...

"Euch..... So here it is then, right under the new one. You aren't very.... sharp are you North. This place. It's probably older than you. Let's snoop." Pitch glides around the original work table where he's sure North worked alone with a disgustingly happy smile on his face, carving wood for the children. But through all the dust and dirt and rotting wood.... Pitch sees something shining.

"Oh?" He walks over and kicks aside some old wood..... and smirks.

"Well now. How could you leave something like this down here old friend?" It looks like.... one of the very first magic snow globs that can transport you anywhere!

"Finders keepers after all." Black sand slowly curls around the snow globe and makes it disappear into his flesh. He continues to walk around and decides to walk in further and try to make it further up. Even if he couldn't give people nightmares anymore like he used to, he could still make people uncomfortable with his malice. And seeing the person get uncomfortable is hilarious to him. But he manages to creep by a few yeti's and a few elves, sending chills down their arms.

It's almost like not even the yeti's can see Pitch even when he stands next to them. It irritates him, so he lightly pulls his nails down the shoulders of some yetis and disappearing quickly to watch. They often look startled and look around quickly. Finding nothing they warily go back to work. 

This gets boring so he moves on further up. He sneaks in all the way and passes elf's and yeti's all over the place and none of them notice him at all..... Pitch rakes his nails down backs and shoulders, and keeps going. The yeti's start to notice that one after the other the yeti's feel pain. Phil babbles something to another yeti and they respond. With that Phil stops what he's doing and goes to North who's in his office. Phil opens the door, smashing yet another one of North's precious creations.

"ACK! Knocking! Why do you not do that?!" He swings his large naughty and nice arms in the air with frustration, but then he brings them down and pinches the bridge of his large nose.

"What is it?" Phil says some stuff to North and gets a reaction. The large man looks up slowly in thought.

"What are you talking about? Maybe you all just have flees!"

"MPH." Phil folds his arms and shakes his head and he explains again.

"What? What could it possibly be Phil? Maybe one of deh little elves were playing prank??" Another Yeti runs up behind Phil and shows him his back. North sees red and he gets up immediately.

"Blood?... Someone really scratched you?" He takes a close look at the wounds and they're rather deep.

"What in blazes...." A final yeti yells something and North knows just what he said.

"Impossible! There is no way!" North busts out of his room and looks at the globe for the same thing he saw 20 years ago.... But he doesn't see Pitch. He doesn't see any lights going out or any darkness or shadows or nightmares. Nothing... And if he knows Pitch as good as he thinks then he knows there is now way Pitch would miss the opportunity to make some kind of grand entrance....

"Go get bandaged. I will be keeping watch." He folds his huge arms and looks around the whole workshop with scrutiny. There's no way it's pitch..... they got him defeated.... and send him under the bed to his lair forever... so it cannot be him...... No it must be someone else! Or maybe it's nothing at all.....

"North! Hey there!" Jack appears and lands on top of the globe.

"Jack you weren't going around slicing my yeti's were you?" He's sure Jack didn't do it, but he must ask.

"Say what? Slicing your yeti's?" Jack jumps down in front of North and sees the one yeti walking off to get his arm taken care of.

"What the.... wow what happened?"

"All of my yeti's were working on the toys and something seems to have gone down the line and scratched them one at a time!"

"What??? That's crazy did you guys find anything? Why would someone do this?.... North this is probably what I came here to talk to you about!"

"Say what now? Do you know what's going on Jack?"

"Well not really but I have an idea. Bunny and Baby tooth and even I felt some weird feeling where we were just uncomfortable for no reason. I was just at Tooth's place and I saw a black shadow down in the mountain over by her palace. I went after it but I didn't see anything. Tooth said she hasn't felt anything, but Baby tooth sure did. And now something like this happens.... North, something is defiantly wrong."

"The others have felt this already?"

"Yeah. This is the first time you noticed anything weird?"

"Yes! Perhaps this person is going down the line."

"Maybe....Let's go look around the place North."

"Yes, let us go investigate!" North stomps around with his wary piercing blue eyes with Jack, whose footsteps are light and quiet as he jumps around.

"Oh no.... Jack this is where he got in. Down here." North walks down into the old rotting wood shop. Jack's eyes go wide as he looks around....

"What IS this place?"

"This is the original north pole. This is where I worked when I was younger. When my hair was not nearly so white as it is now."

"Wow.... Just wow. This is it huh? It looks like stuff before I was born even." Jack can't help but look at all the dust and cobwebs and the old hand made furniture and other things that had to be tied with rope so It wouldn't fall or so it would hold together tightly.

"This is incredible North!...."

"Ah thank you. But focus boy we must find entrance! Where did they get in!?" North looks around at everything very carefully and then looks behind some boards.

"Hm? Strange?" A circle where there is no dust. Then it dawns on him.

"Could it be??? The missing globe... It was here all along. And he found it?! Jack. Go to the top and call the other guardians."

"Oh my god.... Just like last time... is it... Is it Pitch?"

"There is no forced entry..... He came in through the shadows... and he has something that is very powerful in the wrong hands.. Hurry go!"

"Yeah!" Jack jumps and flies quickly through the center of the building and up to the world! He jumps off and flips back, landing on his feet before the control panel.

"Aw man I didn't ask which thing it was...." He looks at everything and presses a few buttons that open windows or shoot little lasers or throw knives that could be used to stop an intruder if they got in at that spot. But finally he takes a weird lever in his hand and tries to do stuff to it. He lifts it, twists, and pushes down. Outside the light shoot up and then spread out all over.

-

Sandy watches over a child as he gives her a very special dream to help her feel good about herself and---- Hm? The different colored lights bounce off the wall and he looks back and sees the signal for all the guardians to assemble. His eyes go big and he wraps up and bolts.

Bunnymund hears some high pitched noise and that can only mean North is calling them together. He KNEW it something was off! So He taps twice and bounds away.

Tooth happily continues her work, fluttering around and admiring teeth, when Baby tooth pokes her and points, peeping loudly. Tooth looks over and then sees the sky.

"Oh no..... Let's go baby tooth, get some of your sisters!" Tooth flies off quickly and Baby tooth gathers a few other of her baby tooth sisters.

North walks up and sees Jack waiting for him.

"You found it."

"Yeah about that uh, sorry." North squints a little and then looks around. Knives are sticking in the floor and the walls and little laser marks are burnt into the floor. North just shakes his head and shrugs.

"Is alright. Happens all deh time. Now we wait. Good work. For now let us play cards!"

"Cards? Seriously?"

"NO OF COURSE NOT PUNY BRAIN!! We have to talk of course!"

"Wanna talk over go fish?"

"Yes." North gets out some playing cards from a drawer and a table appears with some chairs and he sits across from Jack and deals.

"Jack so you say Bunny came to you first?"

"Yeah. Was feeling antsy. Then I got back from the warren and felt like someone was watching me. Today I saw baby tooth doin' her thing and we talked and she said she was feeling uncomfortable. And you know that's pretty weird for all of us. And now someone's here, maybe pitch, messin' with the yeti's."

"Yes and Pitch may have one of my old snow globes. And dat is NOT good.... Any 5's?"

"Crap. Ah yeah here. But uh, tell me about this snow globe. I mean I've seen you use them a lot so why is this one special?" Jack hands North two of his fives and puts his feet on the table.

"My old globes... were unstable. But they still wouldn't do any real damage. If pitch has one I fear he could make things far worse..... We must find him."

"Well we will. Just like we did last time. He won't get away. And if he uses that thing we'll just fix it. Got any kings?"

"Go fish." North strokes his beard as Jack grabs a card.

"Yes Jack I believe dat we can. But just like last time, all of us are needed.... Who knows what he's thought of this time."

"Oi!" Bunnymund pops up from the floor, Tooth flies through the window and Sandy jumps in after tooth.

"Hello! Friends! We have a problem."

"Who is it?! Is it Pitch?" Tooth flies up quickly and North pulls something from his pocket. Black sand.

"It is. I found it down in my first work shop."

"You're WHAT? Wow I thought that thing was gone by now." Sandy floats up and looks at the sand with a slight glare.... He reaches forward and turns it into his own golden sand and it transforms into a small fly since that's all the sand their was. Pictures form over his head.

"Oh that thing can lead us to him?! Right to him?!" North holds Sandy up and the little guy just nods a lot.

"Let's go!! I don't have time for this, Christmas just ended and I still have things to clean up to prepare for next year!"

"Well wait a darn second what if it's a trap! North you can't just go bustin' in!"

"Bunny if he has my globe then if it is a trap we'll get out of it and--"

"And what, yank the thing from his hand?"

"If dat is what it takes."

"Come on boys let's go. Ready Jack?"

"Always Tooth." Sandy nods his head and the fly buzzes his little wings into the air.

"To deh slay!"

"Oh no you don't not this time!"

"Then how will you follow the fly, Bunny? Hm?"

"Aw man no loop de loops."

"Everyone loves the loop deh loops!" North gets his coat and hat and swords and walks off. Bunny just slumps and groans as the others follow

Everyone gets on the slay and they take off, loop de loop and all, and Sandy finally lets the fly go and it begins to fly. They take a long time to fly and Bunny is noooot happy with it. But eventually the sand fly stops in the air and sandy makes a picture over his head of Norths globe.

"What? Use it?" Sandy nods and North pulls one out.

"Take me where the fly says to go." He throws it and a portal opens up and they all fly through. The slay disappears from under them and they all crash to the ground and roll!!

"Ouuuchhhh!" Tooth groans and sits up. Bunny just rolls and stands up quickly, not a scratch on him. North groans and rolls over.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah It looks like it." Jack sits up and opens his hand, all five little faeries in his hands. They fly up and give him little kisses.

"Girls really control yourselves." They only giggle and point, but they fly back over to her.

"Where are we?" North sits up and then stands and Jack stands up too.

"oh ..... This is ..... his world. This is Pitches place."

"What??? This is......."

"Well it's sure creepy enough." Sandy nods in agreement and floats around. The cages hang from the ceiling and everything is completely silent... Not even a breeze can come through. Not even an underground breeze. Just nothing. Darkness and stale air.

"Hmmm I don't recall inviting anyone. Let alone all of the guardians." Pitches echoy voice bounces around the whole place.

"Pitch! What do you want this time!"

"Aw so you caught on I'm so proud of you all. Except for you Jack. I'm very disappointed in you." His sultry smooth voice becomes low and irritated.

"Jack you are a bothersome boy. Even though you are quite a thorn in my side, it was fun to watch the rabbit run to your side and ask for help."

"Actually it was my opinion he was asking for." Jack playfully points out.

"Regardless you were butting in. As usual."

"What were you doin' you oil stain!?"

"How rude Bunny, I am the host here. You should speak nicely to me!" Pitches figure appears in front of Bunny, who throws a boomerang at it, only for it to go right through him. A shadow.

Pitch then appears behind Toothina.

"Would you stop flapping those stupid wings, they're making such noise." Toothina gasps and turns around, but he's gone again.

"Do you think we are scared of you Pitch?"

"Not at all. Oh Sandy don't look at me like that. It reminds me of the day you landed on your ugly little sand rock after I beat you. MIM couldn't help you then now could he?" Sandy only makes signs that should be curse words above his head.

"Such rude language! My goodness seeing you all here brings back memories doesn't it?"

"Hey, your dumb mind games aren't gonna work buddy. Give us back what you took from North."

"Oh the snow globe you mean? I FOUND it. I didn't STEAL it. It was just sitting there begging to be taken! So I picked it up and I went on my merry way."

"You hurt my Yeti's you piece of--"

"Now now hold your reindeer! This little thing is really so important?" Pitch slowly brings out the bright snowing globe and smirks a little.

"Give it back..."

"Why would I do that?"

"You don't know what it can do! Pitch this is for YOUR safety too!"

"Now you're going to make me laugh. Are you sure you're center isn't comedy? What if I threw this on the ground right now hm?"

"Pitch!"

"Now just calm down.~ You're getting far too heated." Toothina flutters forward and folds her arms.

"Pitch. Why do you want that?"

"Ooh letting the lady do the work, I see. Toothina my dear I didn't plan to take this specifically but now that I have it I've come up with something wonderful and I can't wait to use it." Pitch rolls his neck and shoulders as if the rising panic is swelling up and fixing any aches he has.

"Give that back to us right now...." She holds out her hand for it.

"Or what my little bumming bird? You'll give me cavities?"

"No But I can knock another tooth out." She raises her fist and swings it at him. But the figure disappears and reappears behind her. He grabs her wings and yanks her to the ground. Tooth gasps and cries out in pain! Jack jumps forward.

"Tooth!!" 

"Ah ah ah!! Not so fast Jack." Pitch pulls at the wings a little more, making Tooth scream and writhe under his hand. 

Jack doesn't move, and neither do the other guardians...

"Everyone just.... relaaaaax.~" Pitch coos to them all.

"What I want to do with this... is send you all to your worst nightmare."

"I ain't scared of nothin'!" Bunny shouts.

"I dislike when people say that. That means you are afraid of anything. Say 'I'm not scared of anything' then it will make sense you stupid rabbit."

"What will you do when we come out of the worst nightmares huh?" Jack holds his staff tightly and looks at Pitch warily.

"Hmmm... That's the thing dear Jack. You won't be getting out of the nightmares."

"Like hell we won't!" Bunny swings a boomerang and Sandy's sand wraps around Pitch's hand holding onto Tooth's wings and yanks it away and throwing him in the air for Jack to jump up. Tooth flaps her wings and North makes sure she's alright.

"Pitch!!!" Jack swings his staff upwards and shoots out sparkling snow that looks super sharp. Pitch lets dark sand fly in front of him and form into a circular shield. The frost flies off and Pitch busts through the shield and punches Jack right in the stomach.

Jack doesn't remember Pitch being so physically strong. The punch knocks the wind right out of him and he crashes into the rocks below faster than anyone can see. North gasps at the sounds that come from Jack's body hitting with such force.

"Jack! Pitch you will pay for that!" His Russian accent seems to get thicker and rougher when he's angry. He jumps up swinging his swords from his side upward. Pitch dodges a sand ball from Sandy and then dodges the swords from North. All the little faeries fly over to Jack and shake him a little while Tooth flies up and makes what look like teeth bullets, shooting them at Pitch.

The little peeps shake Jack out of his haze and he sits up. A little blood is coming from his lip, having bitten it while getting punched.

"Thanks babies." He tries to stand up, but he's quickly reminded that he has to catch bis breath. He's.... never felt a punch so strong before. Something is different about Pitch. What the hell happened? 

After catching his breath he stands up and flies towards the action, throwing snow balls and ice spikes at the black figure. When North finally swings down the center of Pitch, the shadow disappears and all is quiet. The guardians regroup, all facing away from each other so not to be jumped from behind.

"What the bloody hell is goin' on? We can't hit him. He dodges or disappears!" Sandy nods a little and thinks to himself..... then a picture of pitch pops up and an X goes through it.

"Wait you think that ain't the real Pitch?"

"Felt like the real thing to me..." Jack rubs the blood from his lip and then holds his stomach a little.

"It must be that globe... It's changing parts of his powers.... That can't be, It's only for teleporting!"

"Maybe while we were showing up he found a way to tap the globes powers and shift it to his own purposes."

"Well that's obvious, he's doin' something for sure."

"We MUST get the globe back...."

"How are we go--" Jack's words cut off.

"what is it Jack?" Tooth looks to Jack and she sees a huge scythe ripping from the center of Jack's chest. She screams and steps away from him. Everyone turn around to see what happened and Bunnymund is the first to yell Jack's name.

"Blimey!!! Jack!!!" North's eyes are so wide they could pop out of his head, and Sandy is utterly speechless. Even if he could talk, he wouldn't be able to.

Jack's eyes are just as wide and he slowly looks down to his chest and lets out a choke of a breath, then attempts to suck in air. He chokes out another breath and blood spurts out.

"u-uh... oh..." The scythe rips out and Jack screams in pain!!! He collapses to his knees and drops his staff and Tooth puts her hand on one shoulder. The wound is long and gaping, blood is flooding out of his chest. 

"J-Jack look don't breath too hard okay? Just take slow breaths and try to r-remain calm!" She nods her head and looks at North. He nods to her and picks Jack up carefully.

"We are leaving."

"WHAT?!?!?!??!"

"Bunny..." Bunny looks at him with fire in his green eyes, until he looks down at Jack and sees how bad he looks up front..... With absolute rage, he puts his rangs away and goes to North. Sandy floats by Jack with Tooth and grabs a globe from North's pocket, throwing it on the ground. They fall through and the portal closes behind them.

Pitch comes out of the dark and grins.

"I did it. I know what their center is. Jack." He looks down at the blood Jack spilled and reaches down to touch it. When he brings the blood back up..... it slowly turns black. Pitch smirks and disappears once again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time
> 
> "Bunny..." Bunny looks at him with fire in his green eyes, until he looks down at Jack and sees how bad he looks up front..... With absolute rage, he puts his rangs away and goes to North. Sandy floats by Jack with Tooth and grabs a globe from North's pocket, throwing it on the ground. They fall through and the portal closes behind them.
> 
> Pitch comes out of the dark and grins.
> 
> "I did it. I know what their center is. Jack." He looks down at the blood Jack spilled and reaches down to touch it. When he brings the blood back up..... it slowly turns black. Pitch smirks and disappears once again.

"--ck.." 

The darkness is thick and heavy. It's not something he's felt in a long time.... He's scared. 

"--ck!"

Why is he in this darkness? What happened? And who the hell is yelling at him?

"-ack! ---m -n!"

It's so muffled.... Is he going to be okay?.....

A sharp pinch in his hand makes the darkness get sucked away and Jack's eyes fling open.

"Jack! Thank goodness... I was so worried you...." Jack looks around himself and takes it all in. They're at the tooth palace and Jack is in laying on the floor with blankets that Tooth collected. Most of the guardians don't sleep so beds aren't really a thing. Jack pants hard and looks at his guardian friends looking at him.

"What... What??? What the.... what ha-happened??"

"Jack.... Pitch he... got in between all of us and he stabbed you with his black sand.... We all thought.... that you weren't..... going to make it."

"Ah but you did!! You DID make it Jack!"

"Yeah and your'e all healed up too. That huge gape in your chest is gone now." Bunnymund hops next to Jack and pokes his chest. Sandy flies over and hugs Jack tightly around the neck with a big smile on his face. Jack puts a hand on his own chest and his other arm around Sandy to hug him back.

"I'm okay.... Why? How??" North strokes his beard and makes a deep humming noise.

"We're not sure. We brought you here and you were bleeding lots. Black blood everywhere! It was super scary Jack and we were worried you would.... fade away. But all of deh sudden your blood disappears and your sweater fixes itself up and your body goes back to normal!"

"So how long what I out then?" Sandy lets go of Jack but he still makes sand pictures above his head. A clock and a 1 next to it.

"An hour? That's not too bad.... So was it fake?"

"Oh no it was plenty real mate. You were run right through..... Man you... scared the crap right out of us to be honest."

"Wow you were worried about me? I'm flattered."

"I ain't jokin' around Jack. We almost lost a guardian today." Bunny jabs him in the shoulder and sits down. Jack looks down a little.

"Wow. So that's what that was then. It was really dark and it almost felt like that time I came up from the ice three hundred years ago..... I heard you guys but I couldn't piece it together. But I'm okay now right?"

"It looks like it. But we can't let our guard down again like that...."

"I dunno I thought our guard was up pretty good, in a circle back to back you know?"

"Well we have to UP the anti right mate?" Bunny looks at Sandy and Sandy nods and folds his arms with an angry face. The globe appears over his head with a question mark and North scratches his temple.

"The globe... North you guys didn't get it?" North looks at Jack and shakes his head.

"We could not lose you Jack. You are more important than the globe at a time that."

"I'm... sorry." Jack looks down, but Tooth puts her slim fingers under his chin and slowly makes him look up. Her bright colors feel soft in her palace and her expression is soft.

"Jack. Don't be sorry. What's important is that you're okay. We'll get Pitch and that snow globe back and it'll all be over."

"Well don't tell 'im that. Gettin' that ball of snow won't make Pitch go away. We're gonna have a fight on our hands, I can feel it in me feet." Bunny stands up and walks a couple steps away.

"Well then I guess we better get to it right?" Jack stands up slowly and looks at Tooth.

"Are your wings okay? It looked like Pitch grabbed them pretty hard..."

"Oh I'm alright. My wings get quite a work out you know. But thank you for your concern." She smiles, the feathers at the sides of her face spiking a little.

"I do not know Jack, perhaps you should rest..."

"I feel fine though! We could--"

"What Jack? What could we do after that? We ran with our tails between our legs!"

"Bunny stop."

"I ain't blamin' him but we can't just go back!"

"Ah! Good idea bunny!"

"Wha?"

"Maybe we should make Pitch think Jack is dead??"

"Are you serious???" Bunny squints one eye and folds his arms.

"Yes! He would think he has defeated one of us. And when he's let his own guard down, Jack could come in and do something!"

"It sounds like we have planning to do boys."

Sandy nods and floats higher in the air with a smile. The lot of them go into another room, some faeries following them. Mostly Jack, poking and peeping and squeaking all around him. He reassures them that he's perfectly fine and hugs them all in a huge chunk.  
-

So he's found out the guardian's center. How typical that it would be the youngest newest member.

"Did you see how they reacted?" Pitch pets the snout of a nightmare horse and it neighs at him.

"It was delicious! Could you feel the fear coming from them? If only I could have felt the fear of their deaths. Scared of the darkness that envelopes them and the cold grips of....." Pitch sits up with his eyes wide.

"That's... IT." He smiles crookedly at the horse and then cackles loudly.

"That's IT!! I know what will get me the most fear. I know what will bring me back." Slowly, the dark shadow man pulls out the snowglobe and grins.  
-

"Jack didn't come to see me after school....." Jamie looks out the window of his classroom, having waited for the winter spirit for a while after school... But maybe Jack had something to take care of. He is spreading snow and blizzards all over the world after all. He's got a lot of work.

"Oh well." The brunette thinks to himself "Hopefully he'll be back by tomorrow." and walks out to his car. On the ride home he feels uneasy. Like something's wrong. He looks around and finds himself pulling in his driveway, skittish as he unlocks his door.

"Hello? Jack?"

"Nope! Sophie! Hey Jamie!" Sophie tackles Jamie to the door and hugs him tightly.

"How did you even get in here?!" Jamie hugs her back and kisses her blonde head.

"The window obviously. You keep it open for Jack and other intruders. You really should lock it before you leave for work you know." Sophie steps back and folds her arms, staring at him with her green eyes. Her hair is no longer the crazy bed head it used to be when she was two. Instead it's straightened and beautiful. 

"That's dangerous Soph, you coulda fallen from that high!"

"Well close it then so I'm not tempted. So what's up you looked a little lost when you came in."

"Oh. I dunno. Today was a little weird." Sophie plops down on Jamie's chair in the living room and crosses her legs.

"Tell me about it." Jamie takes off his coat and sets down his backpack.

"Well Jack said this morning that something was bugging Bunny and that's why he wasn't in class yesterday. But I mean, he showed up today... He usually visits me after school too to see that I get home. But he didn't come back."

"Jamie come on he's a busy guy! I miss Bunny a lot too but you don't see him visiting me every second of his life." She looks to him as he walks over and sits next to her.

"I know, but I just..."

"What are you in love with him or something?" Jamie's eyes go big and he blushes a little bit.

"WHAT NO! Don't say stuff like that he's my best friend!"

"Well what's the big deal?"

"I know he's busy! I just felt strange on my way home." Sophie unfolds her arms and pats his leg.

"Jamie you're thinking too much about things! I wouldn't worry about it honestly. You just need to calm down and get some rest. Maybe spend some time without Jack you know?"

"What why?"

"I KNEW IT YOU SO LOVE HIM."

"SOPHIE OH MY GOD." She laughs and Jamie just pouts and folds his arms. Sophie smacks his arms a few times.

"Oh come on I'm joking!"

"You are NOT I can see it in your face."

"You're such a butt."

"Why'd you come over anyway?"

"Don't say it like that! I came to tell you that I aced my history final in class thanks to your help! I should have known a TEACHER could help me learn."

"No you should have known that /I/ could help you learn. I'm not just a teacher, I'm big bro and I'm way cooler than other teachers THANK YOU very much." He nods confidently and she chuckles.

"So you're not gonna forget what I taught you right?"

"Well obviously not because I aced the test right?"

"That doesn't mean you won't forget later. It's like math, you have to keep solving equations, and French! You have to keep speaking it so you don't forget it."

"Kinda like how we always have to believe in the guardians so we can always see them."

"Yeah sorta I guess. I never really thought about not believing in them. I see them and talk to them a lot and now they're just a part of my life. OUR life."

"True. I never ever stopped believing in Bunnymund. He was the first one I ever saw of them. And at the time I thought he was just a cool weird rabbit. But when I went to his warren by accident and saw the eggs I KNEW he was the Easter bunny that you and mom always told me about. The eggs were the most adorable things and the rock things were SO big! Now when I see them they're still big, but not nearly as big. Bunny always get's excited when I pop in to see him."

"How the heck do you get to his warren? Why can't I just STROLL into the North pole?"

"Well you aren't me.~" She shakes her shoulders and folds her arms triumphantly.

"Yeah but sti---" Sophie looks at Jamie quickly.

"Huh? Still what?" Jamie points across the room and darkness seems to be crawling from the corner of the room.

"What the hell is that Jamie?" She sits up hard and stares, hoping it's just a trick of the mind, then swings her head to Jamie with wide eyes.

"Jamie... Jamie!"

"Sophie..." Jamie stands up and slowly goes over to it.

"No, Jamie get over here, we're LEAVING. Get away from it!"

"Shhh just hold on Soph..." He takes a few steps closer and from the table he picks up a wrapped up piece of gum and tosses it into the darkness... It disappears.

"Soph get in the car." He turns around and Sophie nods, getting up and jumping over the couch. They run to the door, but the darkness shoots out at them and engulfs them eitrely. 

It disappears leaving the house completely empty.............  
-

Two days pass and Jack is flying back home. The guardians didn't come to a real conclusion and so the meeting was abandoned for a later date.  
"Man Jamie's gonna be piiiiissed when I get back. Ahhhh let's see. It's about time for school right? This way.~" He turns at an angle so he fly's against the wind and heads to the school. Hmmm. Police cars are everywhere today. He wonders what up.

When he gets to the school and flies into Jamie's classroom he finds a substitute teacher.

"Huh what's this? Hey kids where's Jamie? Home sick?" He sits on the desk in front of the teacher and the kids who believe look at him sadly.

"Huh?..." He floats over through kids who don't believe and leans in really close to one kid.

"Where's Jamie?"

"He's been missing for two days." Jacks' heart sinks and he leans back.

"W...what? Missing???" The little boy nods and the other believers nod a little too, still facing the teacher. His blue eyes go huge and he shakes his head a little, thinking of what could have possibly happened.

"I'm gonna find Mr. Bennette you hear me? I'll bring him back and he'll be at the head of the class just like normal. But I guess until then be good for the teacher and do your work got it kids?" Some of them nod to him and he goes to the window........ and lets them BUST open with a COOOOOLD wind, making the female teacher gasp.

"Hey I thought I closed that!" Jack chuckles, trying to reassure the kids and then flies away as the teacher goes over and closes the window.

Jack flies to Jamie's house as fast as he can and goes to the open window.

"Jamie? Yo Jamie!! You here?!" He flies around the entire house, poking his head into the bathroom and laundry room and in EVERY single room!

"Jamie!!!" Jack starts to breathe harder and panic. He flies out another window and flies to Sophie's house. But she isn't there either. He flies to Sophie's college and searches everywhere. He doesn't find her, but he finds Pippa. She's in class and from the corner of her eye she spots Jack.

"????" Pippa looks at him with confusion... then she knows. So she nods her head to the side for him to get over there. He flies over there and whispers to her. Wait why was he whispering no one else could hear him. Whatever.

"Pip where is Sophie?" Pippa brings up word document and types "She's been missing for two days. Her and Jamie just disappeared."

"Are you joking me!? Is that why all the police are around?" "yes. none of us have heard a single thing from her or Jamie... Jack what's going on?" Jack shakes his head and he can feel his cold heart beating faster than it ever did when he was alive.

"I dunno but I AM going to find them both. Tell the others to keep their eyes peeled. I have a feeling I know exactly what happened." "what?!" "I shouldn't tell you. I don't wanna get you involved... just... Watch out for them." "Of course I will Jack. Thanks... Please hurry." "You don't gotta tell me." He nods and pats her shoulder, then flies up through the ceiling and disappears.

"Tooth!!!!" Jack flies in at top speed in Tooth's palace and almost trips. Tooth looks over, her feathers ruffling up in surprise.

"Jack?? What on earth is wrong?"

"Jamie! And Sophie! They're gone!"

"GONE?"

"GONE!! The kids at Jamie's school and Pippa said that the two of them have been missing for two days!"

"The length of the meeting! While we weren't looking...."

"Pitch. I bet Pitch did it! I have to find him Tooth! I have to get Jamie back! And Sophie!"

"Jack Jack take a deep breath. I know. We're going to find them and--"

"No you don't get it, I have to get them NOW. The longer we wait the most time Pitch has with them! I WON'T let him hurt them!" He flies off, not wanting to wait for the others. Tooth calls after him to no avail... She has a couple of her faeries fly to North's place through a mirror portal she has for emergencies. They fly through and bump right into the giant man.

"Whaaat is dis? Little faeries?" They peep quickly to him and North's large black eyebrows pull together... then raise in surprise.

"Missing?? Jack think's Pitch did it? I believe him.-- wait Jack flew off on own?! Impatient!! Why can't he just wait for old North!?" He walks quickly to the globe and presses some buttons. How can he figure out if the kids are being naughty or nice without knowing where they are and what they're doing? He presses some more buttons and a couple levers and types in Jamie's name. But only a black screen comes up for both of them.....

"No.... Pitch DOES have them....... Why?? Why would he take them?" He thinks and as he gets ready to turn off the screen he hears Jack yelling through it.

"PITCH!!! PITCH GET OUT HERE!!! GIVE THEM BACK!!!" 

"Jack???" North watches the screen and even though he can’t see anything.

“PITCH ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?! WHERE IS JAMIE AND SOPHIE?!”

“Ooohh you’re so loud, quiet down won’t you?”

“I WON’T tell you again Pitch!”

“I wasn’t expecting you to take this long to find your beloved human. The girl was in the way, so she came along for the ride.” Pitch comes out of the darkness and appears on the screen.  
“They’re here alright.”  
“Pitch you better give them back right now... I swear on my EXISTANCE if you hurt them—“

“You’ll what Jack?”

“I’ll turn you into a god dang popsicle.”

“How utterly terrifying.”

“It will be when you are one.” Jack points his staff at Pitch who only touches it and pushes it away from him slowly.

“That won’t be necessary Jack. I’ll take you right to them.”

“Right now!”

“Why of course.” North shakes his head slowly, then quickly.

“No Jack! What are you doing?! Don’t go with him!”

“The thing is.... You have to go in this way.” Pitch pulls out the snow globe and smirks, shaking it up a little. Inside the snow globe is an image of Jamie with his arms tied from his shoulder down to his wrists and he’s lying on the ground. Sophie is next to him with the same ropes.

“Pitch you monster.... Why would you do this?” North hits the dash of buttons in anger

“I don’t care how I have to get to them!”

“As you wish.” Pitch lets the globe drop from his hand and crash to the floor, opening a spiraling portal into the darkness. Jack glares at him.

“When I get them outta there you are DEAD.” He rushes in and North yells at him from the screen wishing so hard that he could be heard through there....

North continues to watch and wait. Pitch chuckles.

"Poor Jack. He has no idea." With that he laughs and disappears from the screen and it becomes black once again. A Russian curse comes from North's mouth and he looks at the faeries.

"You saw right? Report to Tooth immediately. We have to get Jack. Not option!" The little faeries nod and fly into the portal they came in through. They fly to Tooth and Peep to her loudly and quickly in a panic.

"Are you serious?! Jack no wh-- We have to do something! Let's go girls! We can't all fit in that portal. We're going to get Jack." She flies off and she just knows North is on his way. As the moon rises on North's side of the world North looks over and throws his arms out.

"Manny! Please, please tell Sandy and Bunny! Please I beg of you old friend! We cannot lose the children or Jack!" North doesn't let the Man in the Moon answer as he rushes off.

"Ready the sleigh now!!" The yeti's open up the doors and the deer stomp out huffing and puffing as they usually did. Any elf's in the way quickly scatter out of the way of all the feet nearly trampling them, their little bells jingling away. North hops into his sleigh, and without a word he grabs Phil and puts him in the seat, and takes the fuck off. Phil holds on for dear life and he looks at North and grumbles a "why are you bringing ME!?"

"Phil we are better with numbers! We need to help deh children!" Phil just nods and sits up and holds on, the cold wind stinging their faces as they take off through the loop de loop and off the wooden ramp into the sky.

-

Jack jumps through the portal and he runs, landing on the other side. The Bennette's are unmoving, and that scares Jack to his core.

"Jamie!! Hey hey hey hey, come on, look, open your eyes. Sophie! Say something!" He jumps between them, checking their eyes and their breath. They're breathing and that calms Jack down a lot. Sophie stirs and Jack is right on it.

"Sophie it's me! Jack!" The blonde opens her eyes slowly and she looks at Jack with .... with fear.

"No get away!" She looks down at herself and seems to see something missing.

"W-what.... what? Jack...." With that, her eyes go huge.

"It was a nightmare!... A horrible..... nightmare.... Is it really you Jack?..."

"Yeah! Of course it is, I don't get it!"

"We were at Jamie's house and he was worried because you didn't show up to see him home. While we were talking we saw a creepy darkness crawling on Jamie's wall in the corner! Jamie told me to get to the car and we both ran to the door.... but the darkness grabbed us and then I can only remember ending up in this room..."

"Pitch took you and I'm gonna get you out." He gets behind Sophie and starts pulling at the ropes.

"He made us have.... horrible dreams Jack. They were so scary and real..... I wonder which ones were really dreams..."

"Did he hurt you?" The ropes start to freeze over, making ice sounds.

"Yeah.... We'll live but he was a super huge jerk. Some of the nightmare sand was sent in to beat us up a lot.... Jamie wouldn't shut his mouth and got hurt the worst..."

"Tell me more, quick."

"Pitch was trying to get us to not believe in you and the others anymore. And Jamie would scream at him that we'd never not believe, and the nightmares would hit us..." The ropes just won't come off and it's starting to really tick Jack off. Jamie grumbles a little and the two gasp. Jack slides over on his stomach to Jamie.

"Jamie, listen, this is the real Jack frost and everything was a dream, I'm right here and I'm gonna get you out okay?"

"'Bou-bout time Jack...."

"I had no idea man... I came back and you two were gone and the police are everywhere. I went to your class and to your school Sophie. Pippa's worried about you both."

"Jack slow down... I have a headache." Jack slowly sits Jamie up to sit on his legs and he bites his lip hard. Jamie has a swollen black eye and a cut on his lip and down his forehead.

"I can't believe.... that he'd go this far.... He really actually hurt you two...... Listen. Pitch is going to pay for this..... I'm ...... I'm--"

"You're what Jack?" Comes the dark velvet voice of Pitch. Jack stands up and turns around, aiming his staff at the taller figure.

"Pitch I don't know how, but I will KILL you. I will end your existence for this!!!"

"Even if you do, another one just like me will appear and hurt those that you love. Even if you keep killing us, more will come to replace the last. Just like.... if I were to kill YOU Jack. Another winter spirit would be chosen. And another and another."

"Shut your damn mouth Pitch.... Let them go. They have NOTHING to do with ANY of this!!"

"Maybe not. But they did bring you here didn't they?" A wry smile slinks onto Pitch's face. Darkness curls up Jack's legs and Sophie and Jamie call to him and yell at Pitch. But the black sand takes Jack into complete darkness..... when it disappears, he's in a cave the size of an average living room. Much less comfy.

"Where.... Hey!!! You better have let them go!!"

"Jack!"

"Jack where are you?!"

"What have you done with him Pitch?!"

"Hey that's not Jamie or Sophie...... North?? Tooth?!" Jack looks around and yells for them all. Pitch chuckles.

"I haven't done anything with him you fat overly jolly lunatic. Not yet. I was waiting for all of you to show up. To watch the show of course!"

"Bloody hell Pitch you give him and the kids back!" Bunnymund? Sandy heard from Manny when he was delivering dreams, and made some dream sand travel to Bunnymund and then all of them met up at Pitches lair...

"They'll be watching too."

"What are you talking about Pitch?...... What are we going to be watching?......" Tooth says nearly through her perfect teeth as her wings flutter uncontrollably. The baby teeth with her peep loudly at him with angry squeaks. Jack hears nothing after that.

"Guys?.... Hey!!! Tooth!!! North!!! Anyone?!" Ten minutes pass and Jack paces worriedly, trying to freeze his way out. The whole cave gets frozen, but it always goes back to being rock. It's like it's absorbing the magic... After another half hour, Jack is sitting in one corner of the room with his legs held up to his chest with thoughts racing through his mind. He's so scared and nervous that he can feel his pallet tingling and his stomach turning violently in place. Finally Pitch comes through, not that Jack can see since the whole cave is totally dark. The footsteps are what alert Jack. He KNOWS it's Pitch. A light turns on. There is no light source, but there is light. 

"Jaaack were you patient?"

"Pitch what did you do to them?"

"They're all a little tied up at the moment and they're watching a movie! I am SO nice, don't you think?"

"Pitch. What did. You do. To them."

"I just told you. Now. Why don't you do me a favor and take off your sweater."

"WHAT?" Jack's eyes go huge and he wants to absolutely strangle the life out of Pitch.

"You want to free your friends don't you? Jamie? Sweet Jamie and his lovely sister Sophie? Don't you want them to go back to a normal life?" Jack doesn't answer.... of COURSE that's what he wants, that's why he came here. To get them outta here!...

"You'll have to do as I say then." With frustration Jack yanks his blue frozen hoody off over his head and is now shirtless. He swings his arms out to the side.

"There! You creepy perv."

"Jack it seems your mind is the only one going that way. I don't intend to do such things to you. I intend to do far worse. Give me your staff."

"Huh. Right. You mean so you can snap it like last time?"

"For Jamie and Sophie Jack." He says it so smoothly he could have fooled any human into doing what he wanted..... Jack can literally hear the insincerity in his voice.... but for Jamie and Sophie, he turns the handle to Pitch, and the taller man takes it from him.

"Good boy. Now turn around." Jack closes his eyes and waits for the worst and turns his back. Pitch tosses the staff into the darkness, the landing echoing violently and sharply through the cave.

A sudden thrash of wide pain makes Jack scream and reach over his shoulder.

"Don't!... move. Hands on the wall." He knows where this is going. So he accepts what he must do. He would do.... ANYTHING. Literally anything..... to get those two safe again. Jack knows that something must have happened to the other guardians because he can't hear them and they're not near him..... So if he has to do something to set them free then he will do it without hesitation.

Pitch whips Jack again with black sand, and the winter spirit screams again.

"Don't worry Jack. You'll get used to it after a while." The sneer in his voice makes Jack want to throw up right th---Another slash. Jack grips the wall for support and for something to grab. Another lash. Another another another another another another another!!! Every single slash gets worse as Pitch continues. Jack lowers his head and pants, tired from screaming. It hurts.... SO BAD. He's never felt such a pain in either life he's sure.

"Awww are you tired? Bored with this one already?" The whip curls back into Pitch's hand and turns into long spikes over his fingers.

"Too bad." He walks over to Jack and yanks him from the wall and shoves him on the ground, then scratches down his back over all the slashes with the nails and Jack writhes with a loud scream.

"I am going to torture you until the very end of your life Jack. And I'm going to have fun doing it. I'm going to suck every ounce of fear your mind can produce and then throw you away like the garbage you are. While you're down there, lick the dirt from my boots. I used to make people do that when I was still human. Quite satisfying." Jack tries to catch his breath and he slowly turns his head to glare at Pitch. It seems to rub the dark man the wrong way and he grits his sharp teeth, stomping on Jack's back, blowing the air out of him.

"You are utterly pathetic Jack. You can't do anything right can you?" Pitch leans down and grabs Jack by the hair, yanking him up on his feet. Jack gasps sharply at the pain and stands on his feet, grabbing pitches grey hand to get him to... I dunno, let go?

"Is that all you have for me Pitch? A few lashings?!" The white haired boy laughs, until Pitch throws him against the wall and grabs one of his arms, placing a foot on Jack's bleeding back.

"Oh no. I'm only getting started. I did this for a living Jack. I have a hundred ways to break you!" As he says that he pulls Jack's arm as hard as he can, yanking it right out of the socket with a loud crackling pop. Jack SCREAMS at the top of his lungs. Every sound echo's in this cave, and Pitch was loving every second of it.

"Rat torture was one of my favorites. But I want you to die slowly Jack. Very very slowly."

"Will you set the others free?..." Jack almost sounds tired of it all.... 

"Hmmm..."

"PITCH. I won't sit here and let you mess me up if--"

"Why on earth would I set them free after destroying you?" Pitch grabs Jack's dislocated arm, gaining a pained cry from jack, and throws him in a chair that appeared from the darkness. Rope ties around his ankles, holding them to the legs, and his arms are bound just like Jamie's and Sophie's were. A rope slings around Jacks neck and yanks his head back, the rope tying itself to a little metal thing on the floor.

"Now won't this be nice." The whole room goes totally black. It's more terrifying than a blind fold. Because with a blind fold you know you can still see. But this way... your eyes stay open and you still can't see a thing.

"Like I said. I'm just getting started."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last time: "PITCH. I won't sit here and let you mess me up if--"
> 
> "Why on earth would I set them free after destroying you?" Pitch grabs Jack's dislocated arm, gaining a pained cry from jack, and throws him in a chair that appeared from the darkness. Rope ties around his ankles, holding them to the legs, and his arms are bound just like Jamie's and Sophie's were. A rope slings around Jacks neck and yanks his head back, the rope tying itself to a little metal thing on the floor.
> 
> "Now won't this be nice." The whole room goes totally black. It's more terrifying than a blind fold. Because with a blind fold you know you can still see. But this way... your eyes stay open and you still can't see a thing.
> 
> "Like I said. I'm just getting started."

"JAAAACK!!!" Tooth is screaming at the top of her lungs and crying, struggling violently against the restraints. Her wings are roped around her body, her ankles are tied all the way up to the knees, and her arms are tied just like Jack's. Everyone has this system of ties around them. Sandy's tied with black sand however, so if he tries to turn to sand and free the others he'll just become nightmare sand... and he'd be useless that way.

"JACK DON'T JUST SIT THERE AND LET HIM HURT YOU!!!!" Tooth screams and sobs. The baby teeth are all tied up too, but they're tied up rather like a cocoon. They struggle and kick and flail and roll inside the rope trying their best to escape.

Bunny can't move even to struggle and North is just watching with his eyes full of wonder... wonder replaced by a mix of things. He's utterly terrified... about what Pitch will do to Jack. But he's also proud of Jack. Taking such steps to save his friends and the children. He took that oath 20 years ago and he's still holding to it. A true guardian.

"Oi Tooth they can't 'ear ya...."

"I can't just sit here!!"

"Bunny is right Tooth.... We can only put our faith in Jack..." North looks over to the other end of the line of guardians to Sophie who's crying and Jamie who is showing a mixed bag of feelings. He's.... so angry. At himself for getting himself and his sister caught. But mostly because he got Jack involved and got him like this....

"Jamie. Look at me." North stares at him and Jamie looks up with his brown eyes saddening.

"It is not your fault.... Please don't blame yourself. Understand? Pitch will use that... and it will make all that Jack is doing worthless." Jamie grits his teeth and nods... but he doesn't say a word. 

Jack's screams fill the room that the guardians and kids are in and it makes all of them cringe. Pitch only laughs with every scream and it makes Jamie want to throw up.....

"Jack come on! You're being so boring! Why don't you beg?! Why don't you beg for mercy?"

"I d-don't beg! To ANYONE! E-especially not someone like YOU!"

"Hmmm. Well maybe you could use some persuading." 

"W-what?"

"Yes. How abooooouuuuut.... Tooth?" Pitch reaches into the darkness, and his hand stretches to Tooth's neck and she's yanked out of that separate room!

"No Tooth!" North struggles and the baby teeth screech loudly!!!

"Agh!" Pitch brings her to their side of things and lets her flop on the ground.

"Pitch you sad sack of rotting teeth!"

"T-Tooth??" Jack can't see her in the darkness, but he knows that's her...

"Tooooth, you look radiant as always! Maybe plucking your feathers would get Jack to beg. Hm?"

"Don't even think about it!" Tooth glares at the dark figure, and Jack wriggles in his seat.

"Pitch!! Don't touch her!!"

"But you aren't begging, and that's no fun."

"PITCH!!"

"OW!" A feather.

"Aw and that was a small feather. Let's keep going."

"Jack! Don't do what h-OW!! Don't! okay?!"

"Tooth!!"

"EAAAG!!!" Pitch starts ripping chunks of feathers out of her and even as she tries to scoot away, dark shadow hands grip her and rip her feathers out. Her screams make Jack's heart clench like he's having a heart attack.

"NO!! PLEASE! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STOP HURTING HER!!!! PLEASE PITCH STOP!!!"

"Oooooh finally begging. How nice. I don't know. If I get rid of her you'll only stop."

"N-No! I'll do whatever you say!! Please!!!... Please don't hurt her!... Please just leave her and the others alone!!"

"J-Jack... no..."

"Tooth! Be QUIET! I'm not..... gonna let you hurt him if I can st-- AAGH!!" The rope around Jack's neck yanks back further to the ground and he can only pant for air.

"I suppose so. Be gone with you tooth faerie." She sinks into the ground and disappears, reappearing in the room where the other guardians are being held.

Bunnymund gasps a little and Sandy can only look away. North grits his teeth so hard it's audible. Jamie looks over at her and his eyes go wide.

"Oh Tooth...." Large chunks of beautiful feathers are gone and she's bleeding pretty bad, the red blood running down her other blue and green feathers.

"I.... I'm okay..... a-ah..." She's obviously not okay...... It shows on her face how much pain she's in.... But she's more than willing to suffer through it for Jack and the others.....

"Alright Jack. You'll do whatever I say?" The chair disappears and so do the ropes, letting Jack fall on his whipped back. He gasps sharply and groans in pain.

"Y-yes.... as long as you don't hurt my friends...."

"Done! Deal! I won't lay a single hand on them.... but... you will."

"W-What?!" Suddenly Jack can feel a new cold running through his veins. Pitch grabs him around the neck and holds him facing away in the air. He's pointing his face directly at that watching group.

"Jack you can't see them right now, but your friends are watching you and they have been."

"J-Jamie... I'm sorry! I'm sorry Sophie--- AAAAAAHHH!!!" Jack tenses up all over his body, kicks his feet and grabs Pitch's hands. He struggles for air and as the group watches, Jack's feet start to turn black.....

"J-Jack... Jack what's happening!"

"No-North? I can hear you! I...."

"Lookit his feet! They're turning black! Pitch why are you DOIN' THIS?!"

"Because. I want to break you. At your core. Your CENTER." Pitch laughs as Jack is slowly consumed by the blackness. Jack's eyes start going huge as he begins to see his friends above him in that separate room tied up like animals.....

"You're gonna ma-make ME hurt them?! You bastard!!" Jack struggles more.

"No!! I don't want that!! I won't hurt them no matter what!!!!"

"Ha! We'll see about that. You're about to be... my favorite little nightmare." 

"NO!!!"

"Jack!!!!" North struggles even harder while Jamie can only watch in horror as his best friend's hands turn black, and the darkness crawls up his neck like veins around his jaw and chin.

"Jack.... We'll know it's not you..."

"Jamie don't TALK LI-LIKE....THA....A..AAAAAA....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" The darkness finally takes over his entire face inculding the whites of his eyes. His blue eyes slowly turn golden, just like Pitch's, and Jack finally stops struggling. Pitch drops him, letting him fall to his knees, still staring up at his friends. Sophie only lets out more quiet sobs..... 

"Pitch.... what have you done..."

"What have I done? North it's quite obvious. I've taken a guardian from you. I've taken a friend. Someone important. And now you're going to continue to watch. Jack is going to help me destroy you all slowly, bit by bit. Now. Come along Jack, on your feet." Jack looks down at the ground..... then floats up and then down to his feet.

"Thaaat's a good boy." Pitch smirks widely, stroking Jack's jaw with his long bony fingers.

"Now. Jamie! Where is it exactly that you teach?" Jamie's eyes go big....

"Oh yes, an elementary school right? Jack know's the way doesn't he? Jack! Take me to the school." Jack floats in the air and slowly flies off.

"JACK!!! JACK DON'T!!! DON'T LEAD HIM TO THE KIDS!!!! JACK!!!" Jamie screams at the top of his lugs for jack to stop, but the winter spirit disappears with Pitch. 

A screen pops up in front of them all and Jack is flying through the city of Burgess.... 

"No...... no...." Jamie lowers his head and buries it between his legs. North knows he has to do something.... he can't let this happen. He can't!

"Jaaack." Comes Pitch from the screen.

"Which school is it? Let's go pay the kids a visit." Without a word Jack flies down tot he school and phases through the window. The kids look at him and at first are happy to see him.... But when they see what's up with him they can only look with fear. Then they see Pitch come in after him.... Their eyes go huge with horror.

"Hello children! Did you miss Jack Frost? He hasn't told you about me yet has he? Well. I'm here! I am Pitch Black. And I am your worst Nightmare. Or.... Jack will be for the time being."

"Alright kids, recces!" Every kid runs out of the class and pitch follows happily with Jack behind him. They fly to a slightly more secluded area of the playground and one kid steps up.

"What did you do to Jack?!"

"Yeah! Who are you?!"

"Who? Who am I? Well children. I am the boogyman." The kids' eyes go huge and they look at each other. 

"YES! I'm THAT boogyman. The one who hides under your bed ready to grab your feet when you step off. The one who gives you every nightmare you've ever had. The one who will ALWAYS be here to cause fear! And now that I have Jack with me, he's going to do the dirty work for me."

"J-Jack?" The first kid steps back a few steps to his other classmates, and Jack floats forward.

"Jack do me a favor. Take these children back home."

"H-Home?!"

"Yes! To my home. Where you will know eternal fear and darkness...." Jack lifts his staff and then sticks it in the ground. Darkness surrounds the children and they all sink through screaming. The screaming he can't hear is of Jamie yelling at him through the tv screen. They move on all around the playground and soak up kids.

"Look at this one Jack. Doesn't this one look like.... your sister?" He smirks as if he's the happiest devil on earth and stretches his hand out to her terrified face, grabbing her cheeks hard and lifting her up.

"Take a good look. Your sister! Don't you remember?? You saved her isn't that right? How noble of you Jack! Ah but what a sad thing this must be for you to do. I want you to kill her." The girls eyes go GIGANTIC and she struggles.

"J-Jack! Jack no please! Don't hurt me!!" She starts to cry and struggle harder, staring into the golden eyes of Jack.... Pitch waits, but Jack only stands there.

"Well? Do as I say Jack Frost. KILL HER." Jack finally lifts his hand and touches her face. Pitch looks at him a little confused. What is he doing?

"Ja-Jack?..... What are you doi-ing?" The little girl sputters out nervously.

"I gave you an order Frost!!"

"No." Pitch's eyes go wide.

"WHAT?!"

"No....." He doesn't say anything else and he simply lowers his hand.

"Hmmm. Still can't do it eh? What if /I/ did it?" Pitch thrusts his hand forward and stabs through the girls stomach. Jack doesn't move or try to stop him... but inside.... inside he's..... he can't.... even begin to deal.... with what is happening....

The tall man takes his hand out and throws the girl into the darkness.

"Well Jack since you couldn't follow that order, maybe after this you can follow the next order I'm going to give you." Pitch thrusts his hand onto Jack's neck and squeezes it as hard as he can. Jack doesn't move too much.... for a while. After several seconds, his knees buckle under him and he collapses too them and drops his staff to grab Pitch's hand.

"Awww can't breathe? Too bad. This is what you get for disobeying me." Jack's eyes start to get wider as he feels death approaching ever second he can't breathe. 

Within an inch of his life Pitch lets him go. Jack falls on his side and rolls to his back and wheeze.

"Get up!" Jack gropes for his staff and he forces himself up to his feet.....

"Now. Make a black blizzard. I've always wanted to see one." Black snowflakes suddenly start to fall, and non believers and adults look up with confusion.

A recess peace-maker holds out his hand and catches one.

"A black snowflake? Jeez, pollution is really messing the world up. Black snow......" The wind picks up slowly and eventually gets to a ridiculous wind storm, the cold black flakes stinging anything it touches.

"H-hey! Kids get inside! We have a snow storm!" The kids start to rush inside, but Jack makes the wind blow so hard that the kids fall over and even blows over the adults. Black ice spreads on the black top where the four square paint and basketball court paint is covered. Everyone falls and can only hope they don't get swept away by the wind!

"Yes! Yes!! Look how beautiful!! Can you feel the terror Jack?!" Pitch laughs loudly, holding his arms out. Jack only puts his hand in his hoody pocket, now recovered from choking to almost death. People start disappearing faster and faster.

"Jack! Come! Let's make it snow! Like that stupid song! Let it snow let it snow let it snooooooooow hahahahahahahaaa!!!" Jack flies intot he air and makes sure the wind and snow is heavy everywhere. Cars are sliding around the road, people are holding onto street signs and poles on every street. People scream and try to make it inside stores and homes, even cars to try and escape this crazy black blizzard.

The guardians can only watch in shear dread and panic.... This is absolute mayhem.....

"I am getting us out of here if it is last thing I do!"

"North.... give it up mate....."

"HA! Bunny! You cannot tell Santa Claus 'GIVE UP'! It is not in vocabulary!"

"Why the hell are you so chipper about??..... Pitch is makin' Jack mess up everything! Look! Is he in Canada?!?!" They look back at the screen and Jack as somehow gotten to Canada. The screens split and split and split, and Jack is in every single spot on the tv!

"What's going... on?" Tooth squints a little...

"It looks like... Jack is being split somehow to be in other places?"

"How is that possible you guys?" Sophie gathered herself up, mostly having lost hope.

"Oh no... Pitch could be using the method I use to split myself up into other faeries..... He's putting Jack at every corner of the world... to spread darkness....."

"He's... taking the world back to the dark ages...."

"Jaaack~" Pitch again. He appears with the original Jack at Burgess.

"Remember what I said before? Twenty years ago? Such a long time ago you've probably forgotten. But I asked you what could be better..." He puts his arm around Jack's shoulders and makes a proud fatherly side hug.

"than cold and dark?" Every place on every screen begins to turn black. People and kids are heard screaming on every split screen and then they all come together.... to show Jack's black face and golden eyes. His hair has remained white, but now even the tips are turning black, crawling up to his roots. 

Jack is gone.


End file.
